Mathieu Young/FOXIn the third week of So You Think You Can Dance, the top 16 took to the stage with a variety of great performances, from a Mia Michaels contemporary to a couple of Dave Scott hip-hop numbers.
Some of our favorites dropped a bit tonight, while others proved why they're still there, and naughty ballerina Melissa Sandvig took naughty to a new level with her barely there outfit.
We've got the rundown for tonight's competition and special behind-the-scenes details you won't get anywhere else—wondering why Nigel was so darn grumpy and all over the place tonight. He explained during a commercial break...
"Mary [Murphy] gave me some of her medication," joked Nigel.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE
Who Was There: The cast of Glee showed up to support their fellow Fox show. Ironically, they missed the first half hour because they were actually stuck in the dance studio working on routines for their own show, which launches this fall.
Feel the Love: If we didn't know any better, we'd say that Nigel had a crush on host Cat Deeley. Before the taping he praised, once again, how beautiful Cat is during every show. "When you're simply elegant, you are elegantly simple," said Nigel. Which prompted Cat to ask Nigel why he was being so nice.
Little-Known Fact: Did you notice that Ade's opening solo had a little ballroom twist to it? He was actually poking fun at his buddy Asuka as he did for us back at the Top 20 junket.
TOP EIGHT COUPLES
Karla Garcia & Jonathan Platero
Choreographer: Dave Scott
Dance Style: smooth hip-hop
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-01
The night began with a Bonnie and Clyde-ish number that was not as gangster as it should have been.
What the Judges Thought: Nigel commented that, "There was no danger in it." After Nigel bet they'd be in the bottom three, Mary went on to say, "The chemistry didn't feel like it was really powerful." Finally, Toni Basil said, "If you're gangsters, and you don't have a ghetto groove, it feels store-bought."
What We Thought: It was a little sloppy. Jonathan, in particular, wasn't hitting it hard enough.
Asuka Kondoh & Vitolio Jeune
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Dance Style: jazz
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-02
The genuine love and support between these two partners is impressive. When Asuka tearfully told Vitolio, "I don't want to disappoint you," she wasn't the only one crying. Sniff.
What the Judges Thought: Mary said, "It wasn't at the level for me...It was amazing last week, and it's just under that for me this week."
What We Thought: While it definitely had high energy, the movements felt very...placed. We did get to see Asuka's dirty side, though, and we give that two thumbs up.
Melissa "Naughty Ballerina" Sandvig & Ade Obayomi
Choreographer: Tony Meredith
Dance Style: rumba
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-03
Could the naughty ballerina be any sexier in her outfit? If we had our way, she'd be the conductor on the hot tamale train. BTW, season four runner-up Steven "Twitch" Boss is rallying his fans online and asking them to vote for Ade. We're in.
What the Judges Thought: Nigel played off the old saying, "What a difference Ade makes."
What We Thought: Melissa definitely lived up to her "naughty ballerina" nickname. It was a very sensual piece, leaving us with a goose-bump level of 12.
Janette Manrara & Brandon Bryant
Choreographer: Dave Scott
Dance Style: hip-hop
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-04
Janette and Brandon's routine was semi-reminiscent of Mia Michaels' Two Princes routine from season three.
What the Judges Thought: Mary praised the piece saying, "I think I just died and went to dance heaven."
What We Thought: Janette told us she had things up her sleeve other than Latin ballroom, but we were greatly surprised to see Janette and Brandon both rock and hip-hop it out.
Kayla Radomski & Kupono Aweau
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Généreux
Dance Style: Viennese waltz
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-05
Kayla and Kupono hit the dance floor with an ambition to keep themselves afloat.
What the Judges Thought: While Nigel recognized that a Viennese waltz is "not one of those routines where you'll get 100 rounds of applause," he upset the audience by saying, "It isn't going to make anyone stand up and cheer," which brought the audience to their feet while one audience member yelled, "Yeah it will!"
What We Thought: We were captivated by Kayla's long lines and the perfect flow of the piece.
Randi Evans & Evan Kasprzak
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Dance Style: contemporary
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-06
Mia is known for her eccentric routines, and this one would definitely hit the top five. As Nigel put it, "Who on earth besides Mia Michaels could come up with a dance about a poodle's butt?"
What the Judges Thought: Nigel said, "This is something that will be remembered." Mary said, "It was one of the best numbers [of the night]." While Toni added, "The only problem is the choreography can become the star...You guys lived up to it."
What We Thought: They both really laid it out on the floor tonight and let themselves be enveloped by the choreography. For that reason alone, we say this routine is the evening's best.
Caitlin Kinney & Jason Glover
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Généreux
Dance Style: Paso Doble
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-07
Caitlin brought every geek's Princess Leia fantasy to life, while Jason looked like he came straight out of the movie 300.
What the Judges Thought: Nigel thought they did a "good job overall."
What We Thought: We actually thought Jason stole the show and was much stronger than his partner this week.
Jeanine Mason & Phillip Chbeeb
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Dance Style: Broadway
Toll-Free Number: 888-83676-08
What the Judges Thought: Nigel thought they "needed to bring so much personality to this routine." While Jeanine put on a good show, Nigel said that Phillip needed to do more.
What We Thought: This routine comes in close second to Randi and Evan's poodle dance. We disagree with the judges; we thought the characters Phillip and Jeanine put on were fun. They both stepped it up this week.
Did you dig Randi and Evan's poodle dance as much as we did? Which dress was more scandalous: Melissa's or Caitlin's? Vote in the poll below for who you want to make it through another week and then share your thoughts in the comments below!